Greetings from the Administrator

Ottawa County in general and the City of Coopersville in particular received great news recently. Governor Whitmer announced that the Michigan Strategic Fund Board approved a $60 million grant through the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Fund for the Southeast Regional Force Main project. The $65 million Southeast Regional Force Main project will allow the City of Coopersville to redirect wastewater north to the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center, providing additional wastewater capacity necessary for continued growth of agricultural employers in the area, including Fairlife, Continental Dairy, DeVries Meats, Applegate Dairy and Swanson Pickle. The project will result in the creation of up to 145 new jobs and a capital investment of up to $187 million in Ottawa and Muskegon counties. The investment in the Southeast Regional Force Main project is meeting a need to increase wastewater capacity that has consistently been identified by local food processors in Ottawa and Muskegon counties as a barrier to growth. Local food processers and manufacturers are significant drivers of Ottawa County’s economy in particular accounting for 4,800 jobs with an average annual wage of $72,000 and industry investments of $1.5 billion over the past three years. Fairlife is contributing $5 million in support of the project and Applegate Dairy has contributed toward initial engineering fees and has constructed a lift station to access the force main.

This project would not have been possible without the hard work from many people, including officials from the City of Coopersville, Ottawa County, Muskegon County, Lakeshore Advantage, Greater Muskegon Economic Development and our state legislators from Ottawa and Muskegon counties.

John Shay | County Administrator

Defender Office Holding Expungement Clinic

The Ottawa County Public Defender Office is hosting a second expungement clinic for those wishing to have a criminal conviction set aside. The first clinic in April helped 61 residents begin the process of expunging their criminal convictions.

"In Ottawa County, we understand that some residents have made mistakes in their pasts, have served their sentences, and are on roads to better lives. Criminal records can put obstacles in those paths for those residents and their families. We want to ease that burden so these residents can more easily find jobs, housing and other opportunities for better futures," said Patrick Kolehouse, Assistant Public Defender.

At the clinic residents can:

• Obtain conviction records 
• Be fingerprinted
• Complete the paperwork
• Schedule a court date

Those interested should complete the registration form at tinyurl.com/hollandexpunge to make an appointment. The registration form is also in Spanish and Spanish-speaking attorneys will be available.

Not all offenses are eligible to be expunged, so pre-registration paperwork is necessary.

From Ottawa County Parks

• October News, Events & More
• Observatory Grand Opening

From Public Health

• New Fall Health Program
• Food Safety Report - October 6

Unemployment Rates for August

The preliminary unemployment rates for August 2022 were recently released by the state. Ottawa County’s unemployment rate for August measured 3.1%. This rate is the fourth lowest in Michigan for August, with unemployment rates ranging from 2.4% in Livingston County to 8.2% in Oscoda County.

From July to August, seventy-seven counties saw their unemployment rates decrease. Since August 2021, jobless rates have decreased for seventy-eight of Michigan’s eighty-three counties.

Election Questions Answered at Community Events

Ottawa County Clerk/Register, Justin Roebuck, and Elections Coordinator, Katie Sims, will be in Grand Haven at Loutit District Library on October 25 from 6-8PM to discuss elections in Ottawa County. Register here. The event will be streamed; search Ottawa County Clerk Register of Deeds on YouTube.

Justin and Katie will discuss topics like absentee ballots, logic and accuracy tests and post-election audits. They will then take questions from the audience. Questions can be submitted ahead of time to elections@miottawa.org, at the event or online during the livestream.

Keep up to date and receive election information by email or text Ottawa Votes to GOV-311 (468-311) to receive text messages.

More than 100 showed their support for Ottawa County farmland preservation at Farms are the Tapas on Thursday, September 29 at The Red Shed & Byre 53 event center near Hudsonvillee. [Photo by Rich C. Lakeberg/Ottawa County]

Farms are the Tapas Recap

More than 100 gathered to celebrate local agriculture and raise $19,455 for farmland preservation at Ottawa County's sixth-annual Farms are the Tapas fundraising dinner and silent auction.

Five restaurants competed for the coveted Harvest Knife Award. Find out who took home the prize and read about all the chefs' mouthwatering tapas at https://lnks.gd/2/x85V-R

Weekly Road Construction Updates

While Ottawa County and the Ottawa County Road Commission are two separate organizations, we do partner to help keep you informed. Did you know that the Ottawa County Road Commission sends out Weekly Construction Updates? Here is the October 7 report. They also have a monthly newsletter. Sign up for all the road news via email here. Text Ottawa Roads to GOV-311 (468-311) to receive weekly construction updates via text message.